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Dec 30, 2023

25 Best Desks for Small Spaces (2023)

By Blake Bakkila Illustration by Gabrielle Pilotti Langdon Tight on space? Then you need a desk that won’t cramp your style. We’ve gathered the best desks for small spaces that give you an ample work

By Blake Bakkila

Illustration by Gabrielle Pilotti Langdon

Tight on space? Then you need a desk that won’t cramp your style. We’ve gathered the best desks for small spaces that give you an ample work surface and plenty of storage areas without eating up valuable real estate. These desks will give you a tucked-away work-from-home area to fit neatly into a studio apartment, bedroom, or living room. Below, discover compact desk options in a variety of styles, including midcentury-modern secretary desks, corner desks, minimalist ladder desks, and more.

All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Christopher Knight Home Aalto Computer Desk

Target

This classic desk from the Christopher Knight line at Target will be a hit in any home office. The melamine surface has a contemporary look and is easy to keep clean.

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Mid-Century Art Display Mini Desk

West Elm

Level up your at-home work station with this sleek, sophisticated desk from West Elm. The desk features a tempered-glass top, steel frame, and engineered wood. It’s available in cloud and walnut (pictured).

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Baber 19.7"D 2-Drawer Writing Desk

Wayfair

Simple, stylish, and small, this office desk checks all the boxes. Plus, it’s got two drawers to store away all kinds of papers and office supplies.

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Linon Coy Folding Desk

Target

Not only is this Target find small, it literally folds up and stores away in a closet or under a bed, which makes it an obvious choice for anyone who wants to reconvert their bedroom into just a bedroom when the weekend rolls around. Check out this glowing review: “This desk is already fully put together and ready to go out of the box. All you have to do is unfold the desk, which took a few seconds. It’s a great quality desk that doesn’t take up much space. You have enough room to do laptop work, writing, etc. I love the added drawer that I fill with pens, tape, and a calculator. I highly recommend this, especially if you’re tight on space!” The desk is available in white, walnut, natural, and gray (pictured).

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Björkåsen Laptop Stand

Ikea

This portable, ultra-tiny pick folds up neatly whenever you’re not using it. The cup holder on the side is a bonus. If you want a pop of color, turquoise is a great choice, but if you prefer a neutral, this laptop stand is also available in beige and anthracite. One enthusiastic reviewer loved this so much she bought two: “It’s perfect for working from home. It folds up easy and can be stored away at night. Once I go back to work, it can be used as a TV tray! I purchased two for just that reason.”

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Tilden Small Space Desk

Pottery Barn Teen

This desk comes from Pottery Barn Teen, but it’s a solid choice (made of solid wood) for all ages. It’s great-looking, of course, and it’s also Greenguard Gold certified, meaning it’s free of harmful chemicals. It’s available in white or dark walnut.

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Mateo Mini Writing Desk

Pottery Barn Teen

This small rustic desk has a single, roomy drawer in the center for storing odds and ends. It’s available in two distressed finishes: salvaged gray and salvaged black (pictured).

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By Morgan Goldberg

By Sara Barragán del Rey

By Ludovica Stevan

Industrial Mini Desk

West Elm

Give your workspace an industrial touch with this wood-and-bronze metal desk from West Elm. It’s handmade in India and comes in black, cerused white, or cool walnut.

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Mounted Drop Leaf Dining Table Small Wooden Desk

Amazon

This drop leaf table unfolds to lay flat against the wall when you need more space, which is a true boon if you’re, say, in a studio apartment and your area needs to transition from office to dining room to living room to bedroom all in the same day. We highlighted the larger version, but if you need an even more compact desk situation with the same level of functionality, you’ll be happy to know this comes in a 23" x 15" versio 23" x 15" version as well. Shop the wall-mounted desk in black or white.

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Mid-Century Mini Secretary

West Elm

This midcentury-modern secretary desk with a drop-down door looks like it came straight off the set of Mad Men. It’s made of solid eucalyptus wood and has metal hardware in an antique bronze finish throughout.

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By Morgan Goldberg

By Sara Barragán del Rey

By Ludovica Stevan

White Compact™ Pneumatic Height Adjustable Standing Desk

Wayfair

Height-adjustable desks don’t have to be large or clunky affairs. Case in point: this compact desk with a metal frame and low profile. It gives you enough space to work without cramping the style of a living room or bedroom.

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Ladder Shelf Wall Desk

West Elm

Here’s another ladder desk we can get behind. It has a compact footprint, sturdy frame, and is available in three neutral colorways.

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Bekant Left Sit-Stand Corner Desk

Ikea

This space-saving small desk tucks neatly into a corner and can be adjusted to your desired height. There aren’t many height-adjustable corner desks, so this is a great find. We love the clean, contemporary look.

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By Morgan Goldberg

By Sara Barragán del Rey

By Ludovica Stevan

WLIVE Lift Top Coffee Table with Hidden Storage Compartment

Amazon

If you’re living the WFH life without a proper office space, you can still make it work with a coffee table that transforms into a desk. The top of the coffee table gently raises to desk height (and conveniently houses plenty of storage space). Shop the desk in brown (pictured) or black.

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WyndenHall Moreno Solid Mango Wood Lift Top Coffee Table

Target

This is another coffee-table-and-desk combo we’re all about. This solid wood pick has two storage compartments, design-forward gold-iron hairpin legs, and comes in four neutral shades: black, gray, umber brown, and natural (pictured).

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Wade Logan Off White Oglethorpe Floating Desk

Wayfair

This floating desk can fit in seamlessly anywhere, even a hallway. Plus, it’s available in eight colors, so finding one that fits in with your decor shouldn’t be a problem.

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By Morgan Goldberg

By Sara Barragán del Rey

By Ludovica Stevan

Etta Avenue Granita Floating Desk

Wayfair

Another one of the best desks for small spaces is this industrial floating desk made of manufactured wood and steel.

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Passport Work Table

Design Within Reach

Feel free to roll and adjust this desk to your exact specifications. You’ll be able to customize it with your preferred tabletop and base finishes as well as choose between casters or glides (note that there is also a smaller size that comes with glides only).

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Mini Motia Sit-to-Stand Desk

Herman Miller

For a welcome break from the neutrals, the icy blue base finish on this sit-to-stand electric desk for small spaces is ideal. Available in three different sizes and color combinations, the desktop height is conveniently adjustable at just the touch of a button. Bonus: You can order a desk chair in the exact same color for a monochrome setup.

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By Morgan Goldberg

By Sara Barragán del Rey

By Ludovica Stevan

Nelson Swag Leg Desk

Herman Miller

As the name suggests, this desk has a lot of personality. The colorful dividers create cubbies for a special touch to the design, and the overall shape gives you ample space for work or play.

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Tangkula White Corner Desk

Amazon

Sure, nobody puts baby in a corner—but you certainly can design your office space there. A corner desk frees up plenty of space for other interior design essentials. This one comes with storage shelves, and while we’re partial to the white finish, it’s also available in black and rustic brown.

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GreenForest Folding Desk

Amazon

Take the guesswork out of building your own desk with this fully assembled one. Perfect for a portable workspace, this desk folds down to be one-inch thick, so it easily stores under your bed or in a closet after you’ve clocked out for the day.

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By Morgan Goldberg

By Sara Barragán del Rey

By Ludovica Stevan

Cayman L-Shape Rotating Desk

Pottery Barn

We like that this Cayman desk can serve as a useful office space by day and a minimalist dining table by night. Sleek and modern, this L-shaped desk is made from solid mango wood and has a rotating section that allows you to take up less space whenever you’d like.

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Pietsch Floating Desk

AllModern

You can’t go wrong with furniture pieces that do double duty. This floating desk, for instance, can serve as a bookshelf and your office space at the same time. It comes with two shelves, one of which can serve as your WFH setup, the other which can house your favorite novels and knickknacks.

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Monte Nido Oak Wood Secretary Desk

CB2

Like many midcentury-modern secretary desks, this one is all about the compartments. Flipping down the door will show you the fold-down writing surface, letter tray, and more storage for anything. In a separate cabinet to the left, you can open it up for storage shelves that can hold even more of your paperwork or other office must-haves.

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By Kristi Kellogg

By Marni Elyse Katz

By Erika Owen

By Erika Owen